Phoenix Rising
by Sanguin19
Summary: 12 year old Aiko Senju already had a lot to live up to being the daughter of two members of the legendary Sannin but when a near-death experience leaves the young Genin with something different deep within her – a legend will be born out of the raging fires within the pure heart…Rated T for Violence.


**Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto franchise – I just own my OCs **

**Prologue**

She wandered through the darkness of the dormant streets of Konoha, her path barely lit by the lanterns as she made her way through the silence clutching a basket in her hands and a backpack over her shoulder, every so often she'd glance around to make sure no-one was following her as she walked as quick and quietly as she could to the outskirts of town carrying the precious cargo carefully in her arms as she kept her hood over her head so only a few strands of her golden blonde hair were visible from under the dark green length of material.

She looked down at the slumbering infant snuggled to warmly to her wrapped in that pink blanket almost oblivious to what was happening, she was glad that her child was asleep while she made the decision to do this since if she caught sight of those dark brown eyes that were much like her own – she didn't think she'd have the nerve to carry out her plan of leaving the child with the one person she knew could look after and raise her daughter right.

Though what she was planning on doing was cold and harsh to some – but in her situation she thought it was the only possible option she could see.

Soon she was merely yards away from her destination as she could see the pathway leading up to a small shack at the edge of town, she took a breath as she steadied those rare nerves that were at that moment somersaulting in her gut with each step she took closer to the shack, in a way she hoped she wouldn't have to deal with him or any of his questions as she really didn't have time for such a thing.

Once she was at the large wooden door she peeked around to make sure she was alone before she slowly knelt down by the doorstep, she lowered the bundle that the sleeping infant girl was wrapped within to the floor trying to keep her movements slow and unnoticeable since she didn't really want her to wake up for the moment, a small sigh escaped her lips as she tried to rationalize this in her mind thinking it was for the best as she watched the child sleep for a moment longer just so she could remember her at least like this since she didn't really know who or what her daughter would grow up to be.

"I'm sorry it had to be like this, my darling…" she whispered her voice was softer than usual and carried that certain motherly tone to it that strangely suited even a renowned Shinobi such as herself "…I know you won't exactly understand why I have to leave…but know that isn't your fault" she added trying to make herself feel better telling the child she was in no way to blame for her departure "I just hope you can forgive me some day…" she uttered after a moment or two as she tried to battle against the tears welling in those hazel eyes of hers "…I want you to have the kind of life I can't provide for you…I don't want you to share the same fate as the others…" she mumbled tearfully as she finally lost the battle with her tears as they ran down her pale cheeks and left damp trails behind them "…just promise to study hard and learn your jutsu because you might just become a great Shinobi no matter what path you chose…I have faith in that" she whispered lowering her hood as it seemed she didn't need to hide herself in a place where no-one was around – she was oblivious to the dark figure lurking in the shadows by the wall until a familiar voice rang out.

"Tsunade?" a gruff male tone rang out causing her to look over her shoulder to see her tall white-haired former team-mate standing in the moonlight "What are you doing here?" he added as he got closer to see why she was knelt on the floor.

"Jiraiya…" was all she could utter before the sound of a baby beginning to whimper and cry seemed to answer for her as she saw the slightly dumbfounded expression on her fellow Sannin's face as he got closer and saw the infant wrapped in a pink blanket on his doorstep.

"What the hell is that thing?!" he uttered as he glanced between her and the child.

"That 'thing' happens to be your daughter…" Tsunade responded a little peeved that he had called their child a 'thing' although she did kind of let him off on the grounds that it must have been quite a shock for him to come back and see her knelt there with their daughter in tow on his doorstep "…_our_ daughter".

"D-daughter?" Jiraiya stammered "Since when do w-we have a…a kid?"

"Since that night about…" Tsunade responded as she thought back to when the event happened "…about a year ago now, when we were drinking to celebrate Sarutobi-sensei's birthday" she told him since he'd been away or busy for the duration of her pregnancy while he was training those three Genin that had been assigned to him a few months ago "She's three months old" she informed him as she looked back down at the tiny bundle she was about to leave, those big bold brown eyes that seemed to mirror her own very much so as the child looked up at her mother with a child's sense of wonder and being oblivious to the fact this might be the last time she ever saw her mother.

"But why have you brought her here?" he asked as he stood looking down them both his onyx eyes trying to find out what his former team-mate's intentions were since she didn't seem her usual calm and collected self, he was about to push the question again after a few moments of silence as he watched her look down at the baby who seemed to have his snow-white hair judging by the fine tufts of hair that covered the top of her hair as she switched to looking at him cooing and giggling a little "Tsunade…?" he spoke softly to which the blonde-haired Sannin looked up at him too after a moment or two.

"I can't look after her…" she told him each word tasted bitter to say but were also painfully true in her opinion "…I can't get the fear out of my head that she will end up like them…" she added as another couple of tears ran down her cheeks at the thought of two of the people she'd loved the most who had been killed in the war, their bodies lying there bloodied and broken "…Nawaki and Dan" she uttered looking down at the dust laden floor, strong as she was - the past few years had really taken their toll on her.

"She won't end up like them…" Jiraiya replied as he crouched down to her level his tone was softer and somewhat understanding of what she was on about as he'd seen her go through it all, normally he would have used this time to sneak a peek down her shirt like the apparently lecherous guy most had labelled him as – but not this time, instead he slowly hooked a finger under her chin and gently lifted her head so she could look up into his eyes and see how serious he was when he said the next part "…I swear to you, she's gonna be just fine…" he told her "…just take her home and stop thinking like that, alright?" he instructed her not as a team-mate but almost like that of a close and caring friend.

"No, I can't…" Tsunade shook her head as she pushed his hand away "…I need to leave this place…tonight"

"Think about this first…" he told her.

"I already have…" she replied as she glanced around with a sigh as she wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her jacket before she looked back at him with more of her old self within her eyes "…I can't stay in this village anymore, I have my bags packed and I am leaving" she told him "Don't try and stop me, Jiraiya" this time her tone came across as more of a warning rather than a statement as they stood up and she looked back at the gurgling child.

"Then take her with you, she'll need her mother…" he told her not really wanting to see either of them go "I'm not the kinda guy who'd make a good father" he added as he scratched the back of his head while she shook hers as a reply before she bent down and picked the infant up and held her for one last time "I mean it…take her with you" he told her.

"No…she'll be safer with you" Tsunade replied as she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the child's forehead before she looked back up at the white-haired Jonin in front of her "You can offer her a better life than I can…" she told him as she held the child out to him, he seemed to hesitate as he looked down at the bundle of cooing cuteness being held in front of him but he reluctantly took hold of her though he hadn't the clue on where to go from there "Here…hold her like this" Tsunade guided his arms round to cradle the infant like she had been doing just a moment ago trying to hide the small hint of amusement she felt seeing the usually tough ninja seem so scared of a three month old baby who at that moment reached up grabbing a tiny handful of his brilliant white locks tugging on them playfully.

"Ow, don't do that…" he uttered wincing a little while a small smile seemed to appear on Tsunade's pale face "...what?" he asked.

"See?" she told him "She likes you"

"Well she's got a funny way of showing it…." Jiraiya muttered as he gently pulled the baby's hand away from hair as he looked at Tsunade "You can take her back now…" he offered half-hoping she would but the other half seemed to be softening up a little to this small child in his arms.

"I'd rather not…" she replied as she dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out an envelope and placed it in his hand the name 'Aiko' had been written upon it in Tsunade's elegant writing "…please don't think the worst of me, Jiraiya" she told him as she picked up her bag and slid it over her shoulder.

"What do I tell her?" he asked her

"I don't know…" came Tsunade's reply "Tell her I had to go away…"

"And why you've not come back?"

"I'll not stay away forever…" she replied as she walked past him placing a soft hand on his right bicep as she passed him by towards the exit of the village a few meters away "…I'll return one day" she told him as she walked away leaving him holding little Aiko who now looked up at him filled with curiosity in those dark eyes of hers.

"Tsunade…" he called out to her but she kept walking way in to the darkness "Tsunade!" he called again this time louder but to no avail as he watched the blonde haired Sannin disappear in to the darkness.

A gentle wind blew on the night air as he stood there at the end of his path with Aiko in his arms gurgling and giggling as she played with his white locks again, he sighed as he looked down at her glad she didn't really understand the fact that her mother had just practically left her behind with someone who has no idea on raising a child, he tried to put at least the most part of his doubt to the back of his mind as he donned a small smile.

"I know I might not seem much…" he told her as he turned back towards his cabin "…I was never cut out to be a dad…" he told her honestly as he didn't see much point in lying to a child "…but I will try my best for you, Akio" he smiled a little as he pushed the door open and walked into the warmth of his home.

Most seemed to have him pinned as the kind of guy who never stayed around long enough to make commitments as important as the one he'd had little choice but to agree to when he took on the challenge of raising a child – his child – he didn't know the first thing about dealing with someone this young but even so he was never one to shy away from a challenge or even let someone down unless he didn't have a choice, he made a silent promise with the child and that was something he'd never break for as long as he would live – he would raise her in the way her mother would have wanted no doubt….

But unlike her – he'd be there for Aiko.

**A/N: Hey guys sorry I keep doing this but I felt my original story lacked somewhat in a proper explanation in to how my character comes in to it all so I scrapped my other story and decided to post this one that seems to go in to better detail…let me know what you guys think ^^**


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